The Toronto Blue Jays have started to slowly turn things around as the club has started to get healthier, but there is clear room for growth.
The Blue Jays are 16-21 and are tied with the Boston Red Sox for last place in the American League East. One of the biggest weaknesses for the Blue Jays has been the bullpen so far this season. Toronto is ranked 18th in the league with a 4.20 bullpen ERA. One of the reasons for this has been former All-Star Jeff Hoffman, who has a 5.74 ERA in 17 total appearances this season and has already been demoted from the closer role.
Toronto needs some bullpen help and, in fact, Hoffman’s season has been tough enough that Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller tabbed him as the club’s “most likely” potential trade deadline chip.
“Toronto Blue Jays: RHP Jeff Hoffman,” Miller wrote. “Contract: $11M, $11M in 2027. Triple-A pitching prospects Adam Macko and Jake Bloss are probably more likely to get moved, but could the Blue Jays unload Hoffman now that Louis Varland has shown himself capable as the closer? Hoffman’s strikeout rate is better than ever, and his hard-hit percentage is almost as low as it has ever been. He has just been dreadfully unlucky in the early going, and teams might want to buy low on the 2024 All-Star.”
It’s not the worst idea, by any means, although it does seem a bit unlikely. If the Blue Jays could somehow get his money off the books, that would absolutely be a win. But he has struggled enough that it would be somewhat surprising for this idea to come to fruition.
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